92 Among Men and Horses. 



hand ' duds ' now and then. The envious one probably 

 thinks himself superior to the man of horses on the score of 

 education, as if that of books were the only kind. I, as one 

 who has had experience of both, can say that there is more 

 improving knowledge to be acquired from practical experi- 

 ence with men and horses than from books, the mere study of 

 which affords but poor mental training. It has been well 

 said that no man is wiser for his book knowledge. Besides, 

 money is the concomitant of business, not of pleasure. Had 

 my object in life been the making of money, I would, instead 

 of devoting my time to horses and the writing of books 

 about them, have taken up some lucrative trade, such as that 

 of a butcher or draper. A wise man into whose soul the iron 

 had entered, has said that literature is a good stick but a 

 poor crutch. Philistines will inveigh against the wickedness 

 of ' the boys ' who will do anything but work. They'll hang 

 about public houses in wintry weather till they get drenched 

 to the skin ; they'll tramp on foot scores of miles to attend a 

 race meeting ; they'll sleep on door steps ; they'll bear the 

 pangs of hunger and thirst, until they cut their throats or 

 drown themselves ; but they won't work. I have a very kind 

 spot in my heart for men of this disposition; for I am 'given' 

 that way myself. I love to t mess ' away my time with 

 horses, photography, patents about saddles, mineralogy, 

 books, or any of my other ' fads ' ; but having had in my 

 old age to forsake all mes folles amours, I am just at present 

 in the pursuit of some steady commercial undertaking which 

 would bring in more money than amusement. 



Newmarket is exceptionally well endowed in the matter of 

 training grounds, both on the Bury side and the race side, as 

 the two divisions of the Heath made by the Station Road and 

 Exning Road are called. When the turf begins to get hard, 

 the Limekilns, which are specially favoured by nature and 

 which are on the Bury side, are utilised for work. The grass 

 grown in the neighbourhood is admirably suited for horses, 

 as we might judge from an inspection of the local butchers' 



